- Anatomy of The Spine
- Back Pain in Children
- Caring for your Spine
- Emerging Spinecare Trends
- Evaluation of Spinal Disorders
- Exercise and The Spine
- Intervention - Spinal Disorders
- Intervertebral Disc
- Non Surgical Options
- Nutrition and Spinecare
- Options for Spine Treatments
- Pregnancy and Back Pain
- Prevalence of Spine Disorders
- Sleep and the Spine
- Spinecare Introduction
- Spinehealth and Disease
- Surgical Interventions
- Treatment with Medications
- Understanding Back Pain
Spinecare Topics
Exercise and The Spine
Balance Training
Balance Training
The brain integrates sensory information from many different sources to maintain balance during various postures and activities. The three primary sources of sensory information used to maintain posture arise from vision, the inner ear and from kinesthetic sensations from the muscles and joints. Balance is maintained through the integration of sensory information with muscle control through reflexes.
The human body is designed to be dynamic, to move and change positions. To maintain balance muscles which move the body or a limb in one direction (agonist) must be balanced by muscles which move the body in an opposite direction (antagonist). The actions of primary muscles are often assisted by smaller muscles which help create movement. They are called synergists. Some muscles serve as stabilizers during actions. This refers to those muscles which hold a joint or body region stable allowing for other muscles to more efficiently move a bodily region in a desired fashion.
In summary, the agonist serves as the primary mover, the muscle which bends the joint. The antagonist is the muscle which contracts and returns the joint to its original position. The synergist or helper muscle assists in the movement of the joint. The stabilizers help keep another region steady so that the joint can be moved. All of these categories of muscle work together under the direction of the nervous system. The use of balance exercises also trains the nervous system which causes the muscles to fire in an efficient manner and with proper degree of contraction.
The pattern of muscle contraction adapts to body type, daily habits, occupational use and pain. Ligaments tend to become more flexible in the direction they are stretched. Muscles either get stronger and hypertrophy or get weaker and atrophy. Muscles become more efficient and coordinated with repetitive exercise. A good example is learning to ride a bike. The first skill is learning to balance, the next skill is endurance and speed.
Overtime the stress of imbalance can result in tissue injury and/or accelerated degenerative changes. Severe imbalance during standing or walking can lead to falls and injury. Chronic poor posture results in postural adaptation that can result in pain syndromes. Relearning postural balance can be very beneficial for protecting the back as well as reducing back pain.
The human body is designed to be dynamic, to move and change positions. To maintain balance muscles which move the body or a limb in one direction (agonist) must be balanced by muscles which move the body in an opposite direction (antagonist). The actions of primary muscles are often assisted by smaller muscles which help create movement. They are called synergists. Some muscles serve as stabilizers during actions. This refers to those muscles which hold a joint or body region stable allowing for other muscles to more efficiently move a bodily region in a desired fashion.
In summary, the agonist serves as the primary mover, the muscle which bends the joint. The antagonist is the muscle which contracts and returns the joint to its original position. The synergist or helper muscle assists in the movement of the joint. The stabilizers help keep another region steady so that the joint can be moved. All of these categories of muscle work together under the direction of the nervous system. The use of balance exercises also trains the nervous system which causes the muscles to fire in an efficient manner and with proper degree of contraction.
The pattern of muscle contraction adapts to body type, daily habits, occupational use and pain. Ligaments tend to become more flexible in the direction they are stretched. Muscles either get stronger and hypertrophy or get weaker and atrophy. Muscles become more efficient and coordinated with repetitive exercise. A good example is learning to ride a bike. The first skill is learning to balance, the next skill is endurance and speed.
Overtime the stress of imbalance can result in tissue injury and/or accelerated degenerative changes. Severe imbalance during standing or walking can lead to falls and injury. Chronic poor posture results in postural adaptation that can result in pain syndromes. Relearning postural balance can be very beneficial for protecting the back as well as reducing back pain.
